Rachel Herrick Kassabian ’97

Rachel Herrick Kassabian is Chair of Quinn Emanuel’s Internet Litigation Practice. She joined the firm in 2001 when it had 3 offices within California; Quinn Emanuel now has 20 offices around the globe. She represents companies in a wide range of intellectual property and commercial litigation matters, with a special focus on Internet technology and Internet sector businesses. Her areas of expertise include copyright infringement, trade secret misappropriation, trademark and trade dress infringement, privacy, false advertising, unfair competition, and other IP-related disputes. In particular, over the past decade Ms. Kassabian has successfully defended various well-known service providers asserting safe harbor under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. She regularly advises startups and other tech clients, big and small, on intellectual property issues and best practices, to help them minimize and manage risk while they grow their businesses.

Chris Kelly is a Silicon Valley attorney with a long track record of building innovative companies and making the Internet a safer place for kids and adults alike. As the first Chief Privacy Officer, General Counsel, and Head of Global Public Policy for Facebook, Chris helped the company grow from its college roots to the ubiquitous communications medium that it is today. Chris’ development of the site’s safety and security policies around real world identity and deployment of a highly-trained staff for rule and law enforcement are credited as critical elements in the company’s success.

Chris left Facebook in 2009 to seek the Democratic nomination for Attorney General of California, garnering 16 percent of the vote in a seven-way race, his first run for statewide office. Since the June 2010 primary, he has become an active investor in companies seeking transformational improvements in technology, media, and finance. Currently, he serves as Chair of Fandor, a streaming media company focused on independent film and visual expression, and Executive Vice Chair of LOYAL3, a financial services company, both based in San Francisco.

In 2013, Chris joined a group of California investors who purchased the Sacramento Kings of the NBA. As a member of the group’s executive board, Chris contributes his expertise in technology and management to basketball operations as well as the team’s development of the Golden1 Center, which will be the most advanced arena in sports when it opens in October 2016.

As an attorney in private practice before his time at Facebook, Chris represented Netscape in the Microsoft antitrust case and Diamond Multimedia in the groundbreaking suit over the MP3 player that furthered personal use rights over digital content. Chris received his undergraduate degree from Georgetown University, a master’s degree from Yale University, and his law degree from Harvard University. Chris also serves on the Board of Directors for the San Francisco 49ers Academy, an alternative public middle school in East Palo Alto, and as Chair of the New Leaders Council, a nationwide leadership training program for young progressives.

Felicia H. Kung ’87

Felicia H. Kung is the Chief of the Office of Rulemaking in the Division of Corporation Finance at the US Securities and Exchange Commission. She is responsible for leading rulemaking projects to revise current rules or implement new rules that affect issuers of securities. She previously served as Senior International Counsel in the Division. In that capacity, she chaired the Disclosure Subcommittee of Standing Committee No.1 (Multinational Disclosure and Accounting) of the International Organization of Securities Commissions, which under her leadership developed IOSCO disclosure principles for cross-border offerings and listings of debt securities, as well as for periodic reports by listed companies.

For over 10 years, she served as a US representative to the OECD Steering Group on Corporate Governance, which developed the OECD Principles of Corporate Governance. She also previously served as counsel to an SEC Commissioner, and as a senior counsel in the SEC’s Office of the General Counsel and Division of Investment Management.

She has received several awards for her work at the SEC, including the Federal Bar Association’s Philip A. Loomis, Jr. Award. Before joining the staff of the Commission, Felicia clerked for the Honorable Jesse E. Eschbach of the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and was an associate at a Chicago law firm. She received her JD from Harvard Law School, where she was an editor of the Harvard Law Review, and is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia, where she received her BA in Economics.

Marsha Levick, Deputy Director and Chief Counsel, co-founded Juvenile Law Center in 1975. Throughout her legal career, Levick has been an advocate for children’s and women’s rights and is a nationally recognized expert in juvenile law. Levick oversees Juvenile Law Center’s litigation and appellate docket. She has successfully litigated challenges to unlawful and harmful laws, policies and practices on behalf of children in both the juvenile justice and child welfare systems. Levick also spearheaded Juvenile Law Center’s litigation arising out of the Luzerne County, Pennsylvania juvenile court judges’ corruption scandal, known as the “kids for cash” scandal, where Juvenile Law Center successfully sought the expungement and vacatur of thousands of juveniles’ cases before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, and is pursuing civil damages for the children and their families in a federal civil rights class action.

Levick has authored or co-authored numerous appellate and amicus briefs in state and federal appeals courts throughout the country, including many before the US Supreme Court, and has argued before both state and federal appellate courts in Pennsylvania and numerous other jurisdictions. Levick co-authored the lead child advocates’ amicus briefs in key recent United States Supreme Court cases, including Roper v. Simmons (juvenile death penalty unconstitutional under the Eighth Amendment); Graham v. Florida (life without parole sentences for juveniles convicted of non-homicide offenses unconstitutional under the Eighth Amendment); J.D.B. v North Carolina ( a juvenile’s age is relevant to the Miranda custody analysis under the Fifth Amendment); and Miller v. Alabama (mandatory sentences of life without parole for juveniles convicted of homicide offenses unconstitutional under the Eighth Amendment). Levick also served as co-counsel in Montgomery v Louisiana, where the Supreme Court ruled Miller retroactive throughout the country. Levick is a frequent speaker and lecturer on children’s rights nationwide, and has also co-authored numerous scholarly articles on children’s rights.

Levick serves on the boards of the Louisiana Center for Children’s Rights and the Southern Poverty Law Center, and is a member of the Dean's Council, Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs. Levick was a finalist for The Legal Intelligencer 2016 Attorney of the Year. Levick is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and Temple University Law School. Levick is currently an adjunct faculty member at Temple University Beasley School of Law.

Michael R. Lufrano is executive vice president, community affairs and chief legal officer for the Chicago Cubs. Lufrano joined the team in July 2004 and is responsible for Cubs’ community affairs, government relations, communications, neighborhood relations and charitable activities. He also serves as chief legal officer for the team.

Loretta E. Lynch was sworn in as the 83rd Attorney General of the United States by Vice President Joe Biden on April 27, 2015. President Barack Obama announced his intention to nominate Ms. Lynch on November 8, 2014.

Sue Mangold joined Juvenile Law Center in October 2015 and is a Professor Emeritus at SUNY Buffalo Law School where she taught for over 20 years and served as Vice Dean for Academics. Her teaching and scholarship were focused on the area of Children and the Law. Sue was also Chair of SUNY’s Strategic Strength in Civic Engagement and Public Policy, and she brings her expertise in community-based research to Juvenile Law Center.

Fatma E. Marouf is a Professor of Law and Director of the Immigrant Rights Clinic at Texas A&M School of Law. She previously taught at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, William S. Boyd School of Law, where she co-directed the Immigration Clinic. Professor Marouf’s scholarship has been published or is forthcoming in leading journals, including the Georgetown Law Journal, Boston University Law Review, and Washington University Law Review.

Zach McGee is Senior Vice President, Business Affairs, for Sony Pictures Entertainment in Culver City where he leads worldwide business affairs for Sony’s home entertainment division. Before moving to Sony, Mr. McGee was the Senior Vice President, Head of Business & Legal Affairs at Miramax, a leading independent film and television studio. Before joining Miramax, Mr. McGee was a Vice President, Legal Affairs, with NBC Universal, Inc. Prior to moving in-house, Mr. McGee was an associate with Davis Polk. He clerked for the Honorable Michael B. Mukasey, Chief Judge, United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. Mr. McGee is a magna cum laude graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School, and he received his Masters of Business Administration from the UCLA Anderson School of Management.

Naz K. Modirzadeh is the founding Director of the Harvard Law School Program on International Law and Armed Conflict (PILAC). In May 2016, she was appointed as a Professor of Practice at Harvard Law School, having previously joined the HLS faculty as a Lecturer on Law in Fall 2014. In the Spring 2017 term she is teaching Public International Law as well as International Law, Policy and Decision-Making in War: Advanced Seminar. At PILAC, Modirzadeh is responsible for overall direction of the Program, collaboration with the Faculty Director and other affiliated faculty, development of research initiatives, and engagement with key decision-makers in the armed forces, humanitarian organizations, government, and intergovernmental organizations.

Modirzadeh regularly advises and briefs international humanitarian organizations, UN agencies, and governments on issues related to international humanitarian law, human rights, and counterterrorism regulations relating to humanitarian assistance. For more than a decade, she has carried out legal research and policy work concerning a number of armed conflict situations. Her recent scholarship and research focus on intersections between the fields of international humanitarian law and international human rights law. She frequently contributes to academic and professional initiatives in the areas of humanitarian action, counterterrorism, and the laws of war.

In addition to taking part in several expert advisory groups for UN research initiatives, Modirzadeh is a non-resident Research Fellow at the Stockton Center for the Study of International Law at the Naval War College and a non-resident Research Associate in the Humanitarian Policy Group of the Overseas Development Institute. She is also on the Board of Trustees of the International Crisis Group, on the Advisory Board of Geneva Call, and on Board of Directors of the International Association of Professionals in Humanitarian Assistance and Protection (PHAP). She received her undergraduate degree from the University of California, Berkeley and her JD from Harvard Law School.

Sheela Murthy is the Founder, President and CEO of the Murthy Law Firm since 1994. Ms. Murthy completed her Master’s in Law (LL.M) from Harvard Law School. Chambers Global recognized the Murthy Law Firm among the world’s leading US immigration law firms. The Firm helps large, small and mid-size employers, including, Fortune 500s, Hospitals, Universities, and technology companies, as well as families pursuing their great American Dream. The Firm has affiliate offices in India. MurthyDotCom (www.murthy.com) is regarded as among the world’s most visited law firm websites.

Jon Nevett is a veteran of the Internet domain name industry. He co-founded Donuts Inc. in 2010 and helped to raise in excess of $150M to form the largest registry of Internet domain extensions. He currently serves as its EVP for Corporate Affairs and on its Board of Directors. Jon also is a founding Board member of the Domain Name Association, the domain name industry's trade association. Previously, Jon served as President at Domain Dimensions, Senior Vice President at Network Solutions, Director at MCI and as an associate at the law firm of Kirkland and Ellis.

Among other responsibilities, Jon represents Donuts at the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), a quasi-government entity that coordinates the Domain Name System. Jon has served on numerous ICANN task forces, working groups, and panels. Most recently, he served on ICANN’s IANA Stewardship Transition Coordination Group (ICG), the group tasked with steering the move of this function from the United States Government to the global multi-stakeholder community. He also helped to form and served as the first Chair of the New gTLD Applicant Group (NTAG). Related to trademark protection on the Internet, Jon has served for four years on the International Trademark Association’s Internet Committee. In 2009, Jon was appointed to the US Department of Commerce’s Online Safety and Technology Working Group related to issues of child safety and the Internet.

Jon received his JD from Harvard Law School in 1992 and his undergraduate degree from Binghamton University in 1988.

Noah Purcell was appointed Washington State Solicitor General in 2013. In that role he has represented the State in some of its most important appellate matters in state and federal courts, including arguing for the State in Washington v. Trump, the State’s successful challenge to the President’s first travel ban Executive Order. Prior to becoming Solicitor General, Noah was in private practice at Perkins Coie in Seattle, where he specialized in constitutional law, election law, and antitrust issues. He had previously served in the Department of Homeland Security Office of General Counsel, where he worked on a range of security and immigration issues.

Edith Ramirez was sworn in as a Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission in April 2010 and served as Chairwoman of the Federal Trade Commission from March 2013 to January 2017. At the FTC, Chairwoman Ramirez has focused on promoting competition and innovation in the technology and healthcare sectors, protecting consumers from deceptive and unfair practices, and safeguarding consumer privacy. Before joining the FTC, Chairwoman Ramirez was a partner in the Los Angeles office of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP, where she litigated complex business disputes, including intellectual property, antitrust, unfair competition, and advertising matters. She is a graduate of Harvard Law School, where she was an editor of the Harvard Law Review, and Harvard College.

Johnathan Robertson is the President and Managing Director of TG Capital. Prior to joining TG in 1999, Johnathan was a consultant with McKinsey & Company. Johnathan received his graduate degree from Harvard Law School and his undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina where he played football, was named to the USA Today All-Academic Team, and was North Carolina’s Rhodes Scholar selection. Johnathan is the husband of Shannon Robertson and father of three children. Shannon is a graduate of Harvard Business School and a former Trustee for Stanford University’s Alumni Board of Trustees. Johnathan additionally serves as a Trustee for the United States Olympic and Paralympic Foundation, as a Director for the I Have A Dream Foundation, and as a member of the Harvard Schools Committee.

Kent L. Sevener is the Head of Content Acquisition for Showtime Networks Inc. His team is responsible for sourcing and acquiring narrative films, documentaries, concerts, stand-up comedy specials and sports programming for exhibition on the company’s pay television and internet services. In addition to his degree from Harvard Law School, Kent received an AB in Economics from The University of Michigan, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.

Rob Simmelkjaer has served as Senior Vice President of NBC Sports Ventures since September of 2011. NBC Sports Ventures is a division of NBC Sports Group, which forms joint venture partnerships and makes minority investments in a wide variety of sports-related businesses. He also works closely with Comcast Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of Comcast.

In addition to his position as Senior Vice President, NBC Sports Ventures, Mr. Simmelkjaer serves as an on-air contributor across multiple NBCUniversal platforms, including NBC Sports, NBCSN, NBC Sports Radio, NBC News, MSNBC and CNBC. He anchored MSNBC’s coverage of the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics. Prior to joining NBC, Mr. Simmelkjaer served in a variety of roles at ESPN from 2003–2011. Prior to his tenure at ESPN, Simmelkjaer practiced law at two New York firms, Weil, Gotshal and Manges from 2000-2001, and Cravath, Swaine & Moore from 1997–2000.
Rob joined the board of directors of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence (CSGV) in 2016. CSGV is Washington, DC based 501(c)(4) organization that was founded in 1974. It seeks to secure freedom from gun violence through research, strategic engagement and effective policy advocacy. Simmelkjaer also serves on the board of directors of the Child Center of NY, and is a member of the Zoning Board of Appeals in Westport, CT.
Jessica Soban ’07

Jessica Soban is the Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives and Admissions at HLS.  Jessica graduated from Harvard College with a degree in Government in 2002 and is a graduate of HLS, Class of 2007.  While she was a student at HLS, Jessica focused her studies in corporate and transactional law, and she was a member of La Alianza and Tax Help (pro bono tax prep).  Prior to attending HLS, Jessica was an Associate Consultant at Bain & Company in the Boston office. Jessica also returned to Bain after graduation from HLS.  In her five years post-graduation, Jessica worked in Bain’s Retail, CPG & Industrial Practice Areas, and finally as a Manager in the Private Equity Group.  Jessica was also active in recruiting and professional development at Bain, serving as the Head of Diversity Recruitment for North America in her final year at the firm.  Jessica was thrilled when the opportunity arose to come back and serve at HLS.  She works closely with the Dean, Faculty, current students and alumni to recruit, admit and enroll top legal talent to HLS while also facilitating school efforts to educate global legal thinkers in continually improving ways.

Holger Spamann is Professor of Law at Harvard Law School, where he teaches corporate law and corporate finance. His research focuses on the law and economics of corporate governance and financial markets, judicial behavior, and comparative law. Before embarking on his academic career, he practiced with Debevoise & Plimpton in New York and clerked for two years in Europe. He holds too many degrees, among them a PhD in economics from Harvard University.

Laura Stein serves as executive vice president - general counsel & corporate affairs of The Clorox Company, a global consumer packaged goods company. She is responsible for Clorox's global legal, compliance, corporate responsibility, government and community affairs, communications, enterprise risk management, internal audit, crisis management and business continuity planning matters. Laura was previously senior vice president - general counsel of H. J. Heinz Company and an attorney with the law firm of Morrison & Foerster. Laura is a director and chair of the corporate governance committee of the board of Franklin Resources, Inc. (BEN), a global investment management firm known as Franklin Templeton Investments, and a director of Canadian National Railway (CN), a North American transportation company.

Ms. Stock has testified before Congress numerous times on issues such as the DREAM Act, the guestworker program, and the Hinder the Administration’s Legalization Temptation (HALT) Act. She earned her undergraduate degree from Harvard-Radcliffe and holds a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School, a Master’s in Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School, and a Master’s in Strategic Studies from the Army War College. Ms. Stock is admitted to practice law in the state of Alaska, the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska, and the US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. She has also served as a member of the American Bar Association’s Commission on Immigration. She authored the book, Immigration Law & the Military, published by the American Immigration Lawyers Association.

Hanna Stotland ’02 is has been an admissions consultant since 1999. Hanna flunked out of high school, got a GED, and worked for two years before returning to college and eventually finding her way to Harvard. She now specializes in serving students facing educational crisis as a result of school discipline, mental illness, substance abuse, etc. She has worked with dozens of students accused of sexual misconduct under Title IX.

Alan K. Tse is the Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Petco, the pet specialty retailer with over 1500 stores in the United States and Mexico and a leading online pet supplies retailer in petco.com and drsfostersmith.com. Mr. Tse is in charge of all legal, compliance and regulatory affairs matters for the Company as well as manages the procurement and internal audit functions. Prior to Petco, Mr. Tse was the Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Churchill Downs, Inc. (NASDAQ:  CHDN) In addition to the Kentucky Derby, Churchill Downs also owns and operates casinos and thoroughbred racetracks throughout the country. Churchill Downs also is the owner and operator of Big Fish Games, one of the largest mobile games publishers in the world and Twinspires.com the largest legal on-line wagering company in the United States.

Dehlia Umunna is a Clinical Professor of Law at Harvard Law School), and the Deputy Director of the law school’s Criminal Justice Institute (CJI), where she supervises third year law students in their representation of adult and juvenile clients in criminal and juvenile proceedings in the Massachusetts Courts. She teaches in the areas of Criminal Defense and Theory, Mass Incarceration and Race Issues. Professor Umunna coaches the HLS National Criminal Justice Trial Advocacy Team and the HLS Black Law Student Association Trial Teams, and has led them to numerous national and regional awards. In addition to her work at HLS, Professor Umunna serves as a faculty member for Gideon’s Promise (formerly the Southern Public Defender’s Training Center), and is a frequent presenter at Public Defender Training Conferences around the country.